God Stories from the Fellowship Gathering

Here at the fellowship gathering, as we share meals and meet new people, I’ve been trying to focus on what God is already up to in our our midst. So I’ve been asking “what mission are you most excited about in your church.”

I rejoice in the ministry of Proyecto Amistad, which reaches out to children in Mexican border towns.

I delighted in hearing from a California church that does a weekly open house in which church members receive all comers. These caring members listen to needs, offer prayer, and extend the hope of the gospel.

I sat stunned by the work of a men’s group in a 40 member Tennessee church … They made their monthly meeting into a visitation to the local juvenile detention facility to offer mentoring, prayer, and encouragement.

I was challenged by the pastor of a small Tennessee town who said that he felt a calling to connect with each resident in his town and ask how the church can serve them.

A Virginia pastor told me about the NC-17 worship service his church was starting. They don’t allow children under 17 to the service so they can teach on sexuality and greed and wrath and other adult topics.

A church in Kansas has committed to becoming a community of prayer; they are discerning how to apply that in daily life.

A 50 member church in New Jersey has a Wednesday evening children’s program for neighborhood kids. When the children presented the Christmas pageant, the congregation tripled in size.

These churches are discerning the call of God to their communities and responding.